This invention relates to an LIF connector having an LIF (low insertion force) mechanism by which a multi-pole connector, having many terminals, can be easily inserted into and withdrawn from a mating connector.
The term "connector", used in this specification of the present invention, means a connector including at least male terminals or female terminals, and a housing receiving these terminals therein, and the housing may be either separate from or integral with other member.
A multi-pole connector has a plurality of terminals, and therefore a large insertion/withdrawal force is required for inserting and withdrawing the connector relative to a mating connector, and it has been rather difficult to effect the insertion and withdrawal of the connector. In view of the difficulty of insertion and withdrawal of such a multi-pole connector, there have now been proposed various connectors (LIF connectors) having an LIF mechanism.
A representative example of such conventional LIF connectors includes one in which a connector is inserted and withdrawn by operating a slider.
One such conventional slider-type LIF connector is proposed in Japanese Patent Unexamined Publication No. Hei. 4-319271. FIG. 1 is an exploded, perspective view of the LIF connector disclosed in Japanese Patent Unexamined Publication No. Hei. 4-319271.
This LIF connector comprises a plurality of connectors 211 and 212, a rectangular frame-like holder 220 for receiving these connectors 211 and 212, a mating connector 230 for receiving the connectors 211 and 212 received in the holder 220, and a slider 240 of a generally U-shape for inserting and withdrawing the connectors 211 and 212 relative to the connector 230.
A pair of guide pins 221 and 221 are formed on each of upper and lower surfaces of the holder 220, and insertion holes 231 and 231 for the slider 240 are formed respectively through opposite end walls of the mating connector 230, and a pair of cam grooves 241 and 241, corresponding to the projections 221 and 221, are formed in each of upper and lower walls of the slider 240.
In the LIF connector of the above construction, the slider 240 is inserted into a predetermined position in the mating connector 230, and the guide pins 221 on the holder 220 are positioned respectively relative to the cam grooves 241 in the slider 240. Then, when the slider 240 is pushed into the mating connector 230, the guide pins 221 on the holder 220 move respectively along the cam grooves 241 in the slider 240, so that the connectors 211 and 212, received in the holder 220, are inserted into the mating connector 230.
Namely, in this LIF connector, by merely pushing the slider 240, the connectors 211 and 212 can be easily fitted into the mating connector 230.
However, in the above conventional slider-type LIF connector, the slider has a symmetrical configuration, and there have been occasions when the slider 240 has been inserted into the mating connector 230 in an inverted manner (that is, upside down), as indicated in dots-and-dash lines in FIG. 1.
The above conventional LIF connector is not provided with any means for preventing such inverted insertion of the slider 240, and the only way to prevent the inverted insertion of the slider 240 has been to confirm the direction of the cam grooves 241 with the eyes.
However, in order to find the inverted insertion of the slider 240 from the direction of the cam grooves 241, it is necessary first to understand the proper direction of the cam grooves 241, and then to judge whether or not the actual direction of the cam grooves 241 is proper.
The cam grooves 241 are formed in the inner side of the slider 240, and it has been difficult to recognize these cam grooves with the eyes. Particularly when the LIF connector is mounted within a vehicle body, it has been extremely difficult to see the thin cam grooves 241 in the dark.
Therefore, in the conventional slider-type LIF connector, the inverted insertion of the slider 240 has been noticed at the time when trying to engage each guide pin 221 on the holder 220 in an opening 241a of the associated cam groove 241.
Even in this case, each guide pin 221 and the associated opening 241a sometimes could not be properly positioned with respect to each other, and hence could not be engaged with each other, and therefore after all, the condition of the slider 240 was first confirmed with the eyes, and then the inverted insertion of the slider 240 could be realized.
Therefore, when the slider 240 was inserted in an inverted manner, much time was required before realizing this fact, and there was encountered a problem that the connectors 211 and 212 could not be inserted into the mating connector 230.